“The dip in earnings diminished the effect of positive earnings growth in the Food, Beverage and Tobacco (+9%YoY) and Banks (+6%YoY) sectors and one-off gains in the Food, Staples and Retailing (+178%YoY) sector,” First Capital said. It said the primary source of decline in September earnings was the Energy Sector (-108%YoY) which saw a loss of Rs. 137 million (September 2016 = Rs. 1,731 million), driven by LIOC (-112%YoY) and LGL (-85%YoY) attributable to higher oils prices and LP Gas prices that drove costs while the selling price remained fixed.

The negative effect was partially diluted by the positive earnings growth in the Food, Beverage and Tobacco sector (+9%YoY) to Rs. 12.5 billion (September 2016 – Rs. 11.5 billion) driven by BUKI (+788%YoY) and CARS (+2,419%YoY) which saw a dramatic increase in its gross margins while also being supported by plantation companies amidst higher tea prices.

However, First Capital Research said the largest positive effect on earnings came from the Food and Staples Retailing sector (+178%YoY) which recorded earnings of Rs. 2.7 billion (September 2016 = Rs. 960 million) driven by CARG (+189%YoY) which included a one-off non-operating gain of Rs. 1,012 million from the sale of its properties in Colombo 2. Having adjusted this one-off gain, the sector’s earnings dipped 33%YoY to Rs. 645 million while the quarter’s overall earnings dipped 6% to Rs. 58 billion.

First Capital is an investment bank offering services as Stock Brokers in Sri Lanka. The Company acts as a conduit between retail and institutional clients and the secondary market of the Colombo Stock Exchange. First Capital’s best-in-class research team provide a series of actionable trade recommendations, daily and periodic market commentaries and publications for Stock Brokers in Sri Lanka.